Your brain is filled with a diverse assortment of brain cells, called neurons, each with a critical role to play. Some are exceptionally tiny (10,000 might fit in a space the size of a grain of rice!), while others stretch out several feet! Make your own out of colorful pipe cleaners, and learn about the dynamic neural networks that generate our perceptual, cognitive and behavioral responses to the world…

The Portland Art Museum is hosting the fourth annual event for LGBTQIA+ youth and allies! Meet new people. Take part in a drag workshop. Create with artists and designers. Explore the exhibitions Animating Life: The Art, Science, and Wonder of LAIKA, Kingdom Animalia, and so much more. See films made by Northwest teens. Make art, make friends, and have fun!

Admission is FREE! Refreshments provided. Middle school, high school, and college-age are all welcome. GSA/QSA advisors and teachers are welcome, too.

“Heterosexuality is not normal, it’s just common.”
–Dorothy Parker

Diversity of gender identity and sexual orientation has roots in the brain, including exposure to critical hormones (e.g., testosterone, estrogen) in the womb. Yet there are multiple development steps, both early ones that significantly shape our bodies, and later ones which substantially change our brains. Hormones don’t tell the whole story, either, as additional genetic and environmental factors can contribute to the morphological, physiological and behavioral differences that contribute to who we are.